To optimize the balance issue of local area accuracy and efficiency in the progressive mesh generation of the 3D model simplification, a new simplification algorithm for the half-edge collapse progressive mesh based on vector angle change between the local area ring was proposed. Firstly, the normal vector was obtained which restricted by center of gravity measurement distance in the local neighborhood area and consisted of points near the first ring of 3D data points. Secondly, the triangle set was selected as the second ring neighborhood area which intersected with the triangle assembly points of the first ring neighborhood area. Then the value multiplied by the two local normal vectors was made as the edge collapse cost. The smaller the value was, the plainer the region was inclined to be and had the priority of simplification, otherwise it would be retained. Finally, the method of angles judgment of a triangle was adopted as the restriction of half-edge collapse to ensure the regular degree of the triangle in simplification mesh and reduce the error caused by the deformation. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can better balance the preserving of local detail features and efficiency in the simplification of progressive mesh of 3D model and can meet the needs of practical applications.